Engine Trouble with the old pile...I mean car. Need some help.

When I bought the Honda CRV a few months ago, I had been driving my mustang everyday as my only car. Naturally, I wanted a break. So I didn't drive the car for about three weeks. When I did get in it, it almost wouldn't start. I found that chipmunks had chewed some wiring. That wasn't the problem though. When I did get it started it was knocking so bad, I was sure a rod was about to fly out. So I let it sit for three more weeks and finally started doing some testing.
Oh, and the chipmunks got the other car that is much newer and driven by another family member. I fixed both cars wiring. I also got my 22 rifle out and so far have eliminated....ready for this....14 chipmunks and counting. That's in a quarter acre lot!
Anyway, this morning I finally got all my crude diagnostics done and good news is, it's not bottom end. I have at least one collapsed lifter.
So here's what I need. I need lifter knowledge and I'll welcome any kind or amount.
Such as:
-Can I test them and see which are bad? How? Be specific please.
-I have another complete set I got with an extra engine a bought a couple years ago. They are sitting in a plastic container in fresh oil in the same spot I put them. I know zero about them. Legitimate for use? Again...how to test them?
-Is there a sure fire way to check each lifter before removing the rocker arms?...or however? I'd like to know where the bad one(s) is.

If I have to buy new ones....
-which replacement lifters are your favorite and why?
-any that I need to steer clear of?

I already pulled the upper intake and valve covers and checked all rocker arm and head bolts just to make sure I didn't just have a lose rocker or something. Couldn't find a thing so I put it back together and ran it for testing. Even drove half a mile and back to see. After that is when my testing made me 99% sure it's a collapsed lifter.

Note:
I do not care about performance or high revving capable lifters....I rarely get over 3k rpms. It's an old engine and as most know...my money is always very tight. I just need it to be a back up car and keep in reasonable shape so maybe one day I can make it good again. (That sound you hear is me falling on the floor laughing at that last sentence!)

Thanks guys.